There are lots of things about the cannabis plant you probably don’t know (well some of you probably know, I’ve been told by more than a few people my blog is better after smoking… which makes sense since that is how it is written). Like did you know that it wasn’t until the middle ages that the cannabis plant got a bad name? I know, that seems like a long time ago, but there was lots of time before it as well, and until then cannabis was actually seen as an important plant. What happened, you ask. The same thing that always happens… power, corruption, and the need to control the masses. Paper was an important tool that the PTBs (Powers That Be) did not want just anyone to have. Being able to write and read and share information… that could be trouble for those in power if the masses were able to have the use of something as powerful as paper. You may also not know that cannabis is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to produce paper… in fact before we go on take a look at some graphs:

That’s a lot of shit from one plant… now back to my story.

So the PTBs of that dark time in history did not want to let people improve there lives with paper, and since cannabis was the cheap and easy way to get paper… it became the devil’s weed. A crop that is so useful and beneficial became public enemy #1, a routine that would, like most things from history, repeat itself. It’s kind of ironic (if I’m using the word right, we all know I have a problem with that word) that one of the worlds most useful plant got its bad name of being dangerous because of just the opposite… it was too helpful.

Like with most things, the dark ages would come to an end… and the useful plant would survive the slanderous attempts to keep it from those who used it. But as I already pointed out, time repeats itself.

Here in America we have had our own PTBs out to smear the reputation of this miracle plant. It started with something that is still a polarizing subject, in fact one of today’s biggest topic… immigration. Back in the early 1900’s believe it or not America had problems with Mexican immigrants. The Mexican Revolution spilled over the border and caused problems. Due to the fact that Mexicans smoked marijuana and brought it over the border with them, laws and propaganda began. And it became a trend.

From Mormons to Jazz musicians… our PTBs found cannabis as the way to get at those who did not fit in to their way of what America should be. Religion and racism… it may have started the fire that threatened to burn cannabis away for ever… but it was good old greed that really kept the anti-pot propaganda going.

With all the new laws and restrictions on cannabis, other companies were able to grow and flourish. Textiles and paper companies and so much more leading right up to the big business of the drug industry all did better as long as cannabis was the “devil’s weed”.

Even though cannabis could put many industries out of business because it can be used for many of the same products, cheaper and better for our environment, cannabis was gone after like it could bring on the end of western civilization. Still greed and the almighty dollar was more important. Just think of paper alone. If we used cannabis instead of trees from the get go to make paper… would global warming and the greenhouse effect even be a discussion? Even though, during WWII, laws were loosened and cannabis once again was used to make the things needed, cheaper and faster, after the war, big business made sure that it wouldn’t be allowed to get in the way of money in their pockets.

This history lesson is getting a little long. Here’s some more to read if you are interested:

But the best way to get the whole history on cannabis is in a book by Jack Herer called “The Emperor Wears No Clothes”:

Before we move on though, I just have to say, no matter what your opinion on pot is the true tragedy in all of this is that because of lies and propaganda, real tests on the benefits of cannabis is not done. The fact that it is still a class 1 drug, no one is allowed to see just how good or bad it may be for us. Though from the few tests that have been done… there ain’t much data to say it should even be a class 1 drug. So we are left to wonder just what else cannabis could be used for:

But it’s the big C that we are really just learning about. If marijuana was only useful with cancer patients helping them with pain and nausea allowing them to eat and sleep, that would be enough, wouldn’t it? But we’ve known for years it does this and yet medical marijuana is still a fight the PTBs have not given up on. And now there are patients and doctors who believe cannabis may actually be a cure for cancer:

Yep, read up on cannabis oil and how it’s being used. Will cannabis be a cure for cancer? I don’t know. But I do know that the continuous attitude our federal government has (even worse now with Sessions), is keeping us from knowing sooner. That sucks.

Alright enough on all that. If you are still reading (and still smoking, it’s a holiday after all) I promised some fun… so let’s have some fun!

First off, if you are gonna celebrate 4/20 properly you have to listen to some Kottonmouth Kings… almost any album will do, but I suggest “Rolling Stoned”.

For those of you who don’t smoke or just want some alcohol for the celebration here’s a drink recipe just for today:

Now we just need something to do. So, here for the first time anywhere I’m gonna post rules to a game invented by yours truly, called “420 Break“. Yep, the post title has double meaning, don’t you love when I do that.

13 years ago on this very day, I was hanging out with friends and family, playing pool and I came up with a drinking/smoking game. It was kind of like the game “Quarters” only with a pool table. And now for the first time, if you have a pool table, you too can play. You will also need some beer or alcohol and a pipe or bong filled with your favorite strand.

420 BREAK RULES:

Rack the balls as if you are playing “8-Ball” with a few exceptions. swap the 1 ball with the 4 ball, swap the 14 ball with the 12 ball, and swap the 6 ball with the 7 ball so that the purple 4 is in front and the 2 green balls are in the back corners. Here, just look at the diagram below:

Make sure your bowl is packed and choose someone to break. The game is played like straight pool. Call your shot, make your shot. If you make a shot, you choose someone to drink and you shoot again. If you make 3 shots in a row you make a rule. This can be the usual rules of drinking games: no pointing, don’t use anyone’s proper name, or the ever popular you can’t say the words “drink, drank or, drunk”. Use your imagination when making your rule. One of my favorites I came up with was that you have to dance around your pool stick before shooting. As with all drinking games, if you break a rule and someone calls you out, you drink.

There are also special balls. If you sink the purple 4 ball or either of the 2 green balls (14 and 6) then everyone playing takes a hit off the pipe or bong. If you sink the 8 ball, everyone drinks.

If you sink the 4, 14, or 6 ball in on the break that’s called a “420 Break”. Everyone takes 3 hits or just light up a blunt and call it a house rule.

That’s really it. After the last ball is made, you re-rack and keep playing. The more rules that get made, the more fun the game is!